The Baby Promise

The Baby Promise
Carolyne Aarsen

On leave from the army, Nick Colter heads to a quiet Alberta ranch to fulfill a promise. His buddy left behind a pregnant wife in need of protection and friendship that only Nick can provide. Despite years in combat, he isn't prepared for the battle to earn wary Beth Carruthers's trust. There is more than grief in her beautiful blue eyes, and caring for her becomes more than an act of duty.He wants to bring a smile to her faceand restore faith and love in her heart. Yet the secrets she harbors may destroy the one chance at family he thought he'd never find.

“Thanks for bringing me here.

For…for being there.”

“It’s okay. Of course I would bring you. And as for staying…” Nick shrugged. He didn’t quite know what to think of his fierce desire to protect Beth that had less to do with Jim’s request than his own need to be at her side.

“It meant a lot,” Beth said quietly, her eyes holding his.

Nick felt an urge to touch her. To connect with her. His hand twitched at his side and as he lifted it the doors to the NICU swished open. Reality intruded into the moment in the form of Beth’s mother-in-law, Ellen.

Ellen glanced at Nick and he got the hint that she wanted to be alone with Beth for a moment.

“I’ll be waiting in the lobby,” he said to Ellen. Then he glanced at Beth. “Congratulations, Beth.”

But as he walked away, he wished he could stay.

He dismissed the thought. He wasn’t Beth’s husband and he had no right to be at her side.

In spite of his growing feelings toward her.

CAROLYNE AARSEN

and her husband, Richard, live on a small ranch in northern Alberta, where they have raised four children and numerous foster children and are still raising cattle. Carolyne crafts her stories in an office with a large west-facing window through which she can watch the changing seasons while struggling to make her words obey.

The Baby Promise

Carolyne Aarsen

I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

—Psalms 121: 1–2

I’d like to dedicate this book to all our soldiers serving overseas both in the battlefield and in peace-keeping missions. We may never know the extent of your sacrifice but we hope that you understand our appreciation of your dedication and heroism.

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank Nita Rudmik for all her help with the neonatal questions.

I’d also like to thank Janelle and Mark Schneider both for the sacrifices they have made respectively as a soldier and wife of a soldier and for the information they gave me about the troops in Afghanistan. I only used the tiniest part of all they gave me and any mistakes or misrepresentation is mine and mine alone.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

He wasn’t supposed to be here, Nick Colter thought, his eyes looking over the log house nestled in a copse of pine trees, smoke curling out of the stone chimney.

The utter peace of the place eased away memories of dust, pain, brokenness and war, but behind that came the guilt.

“Can I help you?”

A melodic voice broke the quiet of the winter morning and Nick spun around, his hand reaching for the rifle he no longer carried.

He caught himself and flexed his tightening fingers, forcing himself to relax as he watched the petite woman walking toward him through the pine trees dusted with snow. These were the friendly mountains of Cochrane, Alberta, not the mountains of Afghanistan.